LA: America's Epicentre PDF Print E-mail
Written by James Muritu   
Tuesday, 26 August 2008

I looked silly when I asked an American  friend of mine whether Santa Claus was Californian. I had not seen any reindeer, but I did notice that many of the cities had Santa in their names. 

What I did not know was that cities like Santa Monica, Santa Ana and San Jose were historically Spanish cities thus the names. California is presumably the richest state in America; rich in diversity, culture and full of life, with Los Angeles (LA) as its headquarters. California, with its many Asian, Latino, Black and Caucasian populations, is one of the most diverse cities in the world. A feeling of co-existence is clearly visible here with everybody minding their own businesses. 

Besides New York, I would comfortably call LA America’s hot spot, where the rich and mighty rub shoulders while dining on caviar and champagne. This is also the world’s headquarters of movie and music industry. Hence major players such as Warner Brothers, MGM, Sony and Columbia Pictures have set base in this magnificent city. This is where it kicks as they say and for sure, seeing is believing.

As I engaged my car into drive mode, it was time to make my way from the airport to a hotel that was fifty miles away. Mine was a baptism by fire kind of welcome to LA as I dared to drive in this great city. The GPS device instructed I keep left, keep left and keep left. It did not take long for me to get lost, I had no idea where north or south was. Welcome to LA! I told myself. At least I could see planes flying low above  me and concluded that the airport wasn’t far. Being a gizmo mania, I knew that the GPS would help me find my way. After a few adjustments and reboots, it was time to hit the road and this time we (my GPS and I) seemed to resonate. As I was instructed to join right onto I-405, I wondered aloud why a road would be named I-405. 

I soon joined a six lane freeway where I was amassed in a flood of cars cruising at break-neck speeds all heading north. Whereas am used to keeping up with an 80 km/h speed limit, it hit me that driving at that speed here would be tantamount to walking. Pressing the accelerator deeper, the rev hit three and soon I was an equal player with the other boys. As I drove past the highways and changing lanes across the interchanges, I was amazed, impressed and my thoughts left ajar at the supremacy of LA freeways. I concluded that the authorities here decided to build roads that would live to make a lasting impression. Paying full attention to this gizmo christened GPS, I drove past tunnels, below and above interchanges. Once in a while I would peep to the left and right and oh my! Americans investment in cars is mammoth. Cars such as SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicle , a four-wheel drive in Kenya), Lamborghinis, Porsches, Ferraris, Mercedes, they are typical household names. I couldn’t also help but notice the numerous bumper stickers in support of Obama. The most common of these was Obama 08. I also  saw a McSame bumper sticker, which I presumed is Republican presidential candidate John Mcain's nickname. Driving past Interstate 405, then 10, 34 and 210, I eventually reached my destination.

Come weekend it was time to discover town and no sooner had I gone far with my tour than I was struck by the number of people engaging publicly in what according to African customs would be termed taboo. Not that am not accustomed to seeing such scenes, but this time I took more notice. As I blended, mingled and made acquaintances, I was told that summer time fever was to blame. During summer, there’s an air of blossoming and coming to life and then a withering process endears come winter. The heat seems to turn on westerners in this part of the world, stirring potions of love and romance. As the scenes evolved in car parks, airport lounges and malls, with boys and girls, men and women, silhouetting against a lavender and clear sky, I asked myself whether it’s something in their genes or its really related to weather. Drive past neighborhoods harboring the beaches such as Santa Monica, there was even more excitement as the air was filled with ecstasy and bliss and the moment seeming to reach crescendo. As sleek, immaculate, shiny sports cars drove by and luxury boats made their way past the beaches, I could tell this was not a society in lack. I paused and wondered loudly whether there’s a correlation between wealth and publicly showing affection. Well, that’s their business, I concluded and continued on.

Even with all the advancement in this mighty city, traffic jams can be a nightmare and true to it, it took me quite a long time to get back to my hotel. As I sat back in my room and tuned the teli, I started realizing that everything in this country was totally different from what am accustomed to. Besides keeping right on the roads, the water taps are rather weird, doors open differently, screws wind and unwind in the opposite direction and even power voltage was 110 volts instead of 240 volts. My curiosity was answered when someone told me that when America won independence from Britain, the then rulers decided to do everything different from what the British had established. 

As I sought to compare Los Angeles with other major world cities, I concluded that it has quite a similarity with Johannesburg interms of an advanced road infrastructure. Compared with Melbourne and London, the weather in LA was more appealing while the people were more jovial, social and entertaining. Talking of security, Melbourne, Sydney and London are definitely much safer places. In terms of opportunities, there are more at LA catalyzed by an entrepreneurial mass that believes anything is possible so long as you have the will and passion. As I bid farewell to this fine city and staring from the sky, my plane made an 180 degrees turn and once again I was left in awe at the magnificence and splendor of Los Angeles, America’s epicenter.


James Muritu
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written by ezz , August 28, 2008
Gomorrah, (San Fransisco is Sodom)!
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written by acolyte , August 28, 2008
Cali may be wealthy but the local government there is very broke from what I have found out, teachers being laid off and such are not uncommon.
Plus behind the facade of hollywood lies alot of poverty and crime; that is why the LAPD are so well loved for the way they take to it..
But I still plan to visit one day
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 August 2008 )
 
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